Table Of ContentCLATSOP COUNTY HIsTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY
JUMTUX
Vou. 41, No. 1 — WINTER 2021
IMJNCOSaMAAFOOy ARNG UG,TGR EHIT AAE'SRSY
We are sad to report the passl } I na | OV ell Dahl back
in October 2020. For twenty years she was a consistent face and
presence, serving as the Business Manager of the (¢ latsop County
Historical Society. Through changes in boa: mbers and executive
directors, construction, new offices, expansions and growth, Martha
was a familiar voice of institutional and comm unity history. Capable
and organized, she was praised by auditors for her ability to quickly
locate and produce anything required.
For twenty years, Martha was the one who answered vour
telephone calls and letters, scheduled and trained both staff and
volunteers, and greeted you when you came into the museums to
visit us. She seemed to know everyone in Astoria and their family
history (and where they bought their cars!). Martha was proud of
the role the Lovell family played in Astoria’s history. She is missed
by all of us connected with CCHS.
JUMTUX
CLATSOP COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
714 Exchange St.
P.O. Box 88
Astoria, Oregon 97103-0088
($03) 325-2203
CLATSOP COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
[email protected]
www.astorlamuseums.org QUARTERLY
Vol. 41, No. | — Winter 2021
Heritage Museum
16th and Exchange St., Astoria Copyright © 2021 Clatsop County Historical Society
(ISSN 1083-9216)
Flavel House Museum
8th and Duane St., Astoria
Oregon Film Museum
7th and Duane St., Astoria CONTENTS
Uppertown Firefighters Museum
30th and Marine Drive, Astoria 2 Catching the Last Ferry
by Jim Aalberg
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Luke Colvin, Astoria, OR
President 29 History of the Japanese in
David Reid, Astoria, OR Westport, Oregon
Vice-President
by Ron Shiozaki
Kent Easom, Coeur d’Alene, [D
Secretary
33 He Was Driven Away,
Kent Ivanoff, Astoria, OR
Treasurer But Wesley Stuck With Pacific
Jim Aalberg, Warrenton, OR by Mike Francis
Andrew Bornstein, Bellingham, WA
Brett Estes, Astoria, OR
Craig Hoppes, Astoria, OR 37. Bend inthe River
Julie Kovatch, Astoria, OR by Samuel A. Soter
Patricia Roberts, Gearhart, OR
Randy Stemper, Astoria, OR
Dulcye Taylor, Astoria, OR 44 Fort Stevens Firebug
by Melvin L. Bashore
STAFF
McAndrew Burns
Executive Director
Sam Rascoe
Director of Marketing
Liisa Penner
Archivist & Cumtux Editor
Chelsea Vaughn
Curator
Emily Rivera
Business Manager
Matt Powers
Facilities Manager
Carol Lambert FRONT COVER:
Sheila Nolan THE FERRYBOAT ALMAR. CA. 1960
Susan Swanby IMAGE COUROFT JIEM ASALYBER G
Michael Wentworth
Cumtux Support
CUMTUx: Chinook jargon:
“To know...to inform”
PuGeTt ISLAND UNDER WATER DURING THE COLUMBIA RIVER FLOOD, JUNE 1943.
In This Issue. . .
Jim Aalberg’s research skills were applied to unraveling the Westport to
Cathlamet river ferries’ complicated history, the main story in this issue.
Jim also forwarded a story by Ron Shiozaki, a former resident of
Westport, about the largest Japanese community in Clatsop County.
Ron's mention of a relative and one of the most notable residents of the
area, Newton Westley (originally “Uyesugi”), led to a story about the first
licensed Japanese-American optometrist in Oregon.
B y chance, a cousin of my cousin, a former Brownsmead resident,
Dr. Hannu Laukkanen, is an Associate Graduate Faculty Member and
Professor Emeritus of Optometry at Pacific University. I asked him if he
knew of Dr. Newton Westley. He did and forwarded a story by Mike Francis
for the Fall 2020 issue of Pacific, the magazine ofP acific University, which
we are pleased to have permission to reprint here. Dr. Hannu Laukkanen
is also a well-known Columbia River snag diver whose story was printed
in the Fall 2003 issue of Cumtux.
Samuel Nick Soter grew up in a Greek community in Clifton. He wrote
about his memories of the area in the Winter 2004 issue of Cumtux. This
time, we are printing his story about the history of the north-eastern part
of Clatsop County, “Bend in the River.”
The western part of the county is represented by astory written by Melvin
L. Bashore, “Fort Stevens’ Firebug.”
—The Editor
CLatsop County HIsTorRICAL SOCIETY
CATCHING THE LAST FERRY
THE CATHLAMET-PUGET ISLAND-WESTPORT
CONNECTION
by Jim Aalberg
ONG BEFORE THE first commercial In 1878, West purchased from
ferry pushed off into the Birnie’s widow, Charlotte, the land
Columbia River, a connection that comprised the Bernie’s original
between Cathlamet, Washington, Cathlamet Donation Land Claim.
and Westport, Oregon, was forged The West family played as ignificant
in the early 1850s by two pioneering role in the growth and development
Scotsmen: John West and James of Cathlamet in the late 1800s and
Birnie. early 1900s. In the 1930s and 1940s,
John West arrived at the spot on the Westport Lumber Company
the Columbia River that would be mill supplied the electrical power
named for him “Westport” in 1850. for Cathlamet via a sub-marine
He built and operated a sawmill and electrical power cable laid on the
salmon cannery, which would help floor of the Columbia River.
establish his still-thriving town. More than 170 years later, the
Even earlier, James Birnie, a connection between Cathlamet,
retired Hudson Bay Company man, Puget Island, and Westport survives
had settled in Cathlamet in 1846, via the longest continuously oper-
where he operated a small trading ating ferry on the Columbia River
post that purchased its inventory and is the only ferry currently cross-
directly from his former employer. ing the Columbia River between
He referred to the area as “Bernie's Oregon and Washington.
Retreat,” which would eventually
include an Oregon Territorial Post EARLY FERRY SERVICE
Office established on August 8, ON THE LOWER COLUMBIA
1851, with Birnie appointed the first In 1920, Captain Fritz Elfving
Postmaster. formed the Astoria-McGowan
West had to travel by boat to Ferry Company starting witha scow
Cathlamet for supplies and mail (barge) pushed by a tug that could
before the Westport post office carry nine cars. On May 1, 1921,
was established on September 23, Elfving put the fifteen-car ferry
1863, when West was appointed as Tourist, powered by two forty-five
horsepower Fairbanks Diesel en-
Postmaster.
2
CumtTux — VOL. 41, No. 1 — WINTER 2021
PRIVATE ERNEST E. THOMPSON'S "MUG SHOT’.
Milton G. Thompson, then living in Taking a cue from his broth-
Clinton, lowa. On March 13, 1902, er's testimony, Private Thompson
he enlisted in the Army in Clinton, started acting like he was crazy. “The
Iowa, and posted to the Coast officers believe that Thompson's
Artillery at Fort Stevens. insanity is largely feigned,” re-
During his court-martial trial at ported the Morning Astorian, in
Fort Stevens, one of Thompson's an effort to escape punishment.”
brothers spoke on his behalf. “He On December 6, 1902, he was
was born while his mother was sentenced to twenty years in the
a raving maniac confined in an United States Penitentiary in Fort
insane asylum, where she died,” Leavenworth, Kansas. He was taken
the Morning Oregonian reported his under heavy guard by two sergeants
brother said. This claim was patently and two privates to prison with his
false as his birth mother, Emeline legs and arms shackled.
Thompson, lived until 1927. This Letters, reports, notes, and
brother also told the court that mugshots in his case file while in
his family always considered his custody at Leavenworth Prison are
brother to be insane but never ca- preserved in the National Archives
pable of violence or of doing harm. at Kansas City. They detail his
The court considered the brother's habits and minor offenses com-
testimony and looked further into mitted while imprisoned, mostly
his mental condition before sending talking, laughing, and dodging work
their findings and recommenda- assignments.
tions to the War Department. In April 1903, he wrote a letter
to the War Department asking for
47
CLatsop County Historica SOCIETY
clemency in his sentence. In that what the doctors called intestinal
letter, he asked for sympathy and tuberculosis. Three weeks after his
understanding, asserting that he admission, surgeons operated, re-
was wrongly convicted on some moving over two quarts of pus from
counts. “I do not think I am a very his abdomen. His father learned of
bad man,” he wrote. “My service in his poor health and wrote to the
the United States Army was very warden for an update. The warden
good up to Nov. the 26th.” That told him that since the operation, he
would have been the day that he was had been ap atient in the Tubercular
recaptured after escaping from the Hospital in prison. For several
post guardhouse. He protested his months, he had been discharging
innocence of setting the fires. “Iam pus, and doctors expressed concern
not guilty of the charges of the fires that he was “in constant danger of
that was at the Post,” he wrote. “I general tubercular infection.”
tried to tell what I knew, but it was The warden felt sorry for the
no use. I could not make them be- young prisoner, writing to his
lieve anything at all, so I stood for it father: “He is a young man yet, and if
all.” He wished he could see his aged you could induce him to settle down
parents before they died. “Ihave my and obey the laws and take care of
dear old Mother and Father yet, but himself, he might live a good long
it will only bea short time until they time and be useful.”
will be laid away to rest.” His father On September 4, 1905, Ernest
died in 1921 and his mother in Thompson was released from
1927, both buried in Clinton, Iowa. Leavenworth into the custody of
In his prison admittance papers, it his father. He had only served three
was recorded that his religion was years of his sentence, but his health
Methodist. “I never miss to go to conditions were the deciding factor
church on Sunday or any time I in his early release. I could not find
can go.” He swore that he had no anything further about him after
intention to get even with anyone. his release to his father’s care in my
“T have no intention of getting any research. }#>
revenge if I have to stay my whole Melvin L. Bashore lives in
time.” Needless to say, his request Hammond, Oregon. He worked for
for clemency was denied. thirty-eight years as a librarian,
In mid-October 1904, Private historian, and curator of historic sites
Thompson was admitted to the for the LDS Church before retiring
penitentiary hospital suffering from in 2013.
48
CumtTux — VoL. 41 No. 1—WINTER 2021
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